On June 9, 2014, I posted about a beautiful artist that I met at the Kinsey Institute Exhibition in May, Catherine Armsbrust. (If you get a chance Google her, she is AMAZING!) Catherine was one of those artists that I fell in love with her art and passion to make a difference in the world. Willing to be that person providing a voice for those who may have not been heard otherwise. To me this is the greatest passion possible, when ones’ artwork and compassion become one in the same.
So with the passing of several months and her travels to Mexico coming up quickly I wanted to update you with Catherine’s current project. The Lake Chapala Projects. I also wanted to share with you my contribution to the 1500-foot fiber river that will be used in the performances in Chapala project.
The pictures are of my tiny section of the ‘River” in some of the pictures you can see a brown stick that is at the beginning of the “River” this is a meter ruler (39 inches) to give you a better idea of the scale of this project. This was hours of meditative silence as I sat contemplating about what rivers symbolize as I knitted my thoughts, hopes and dreams into the fibers of the river. I explored ideas about what rivers represent physically, emotionally and symbolically. Veins to the greater sources of water and the capillaries of nature. They are ever flowing, one can never step into the same river twice for it is always changing and evolving. One of the wonderful elements about working on a project is that you never really know where it may lead you…yet another characteristic of a river.
Towards the end, I was running short of blue, purple and green yarn making it about about 10 inches shorter than the 20 feet that I promised, Catherine. So my solution was to take apart one of the knitted scarfs I made myself several years ago to use the yarn to finish my portion of the “River”. In the process of taking apart the scarf it was a good reminder for me that sometimes one has to deconstruct something to collect the useful elements in order to create a fresh form to cycle back out into the world to inspire others.
I am honored to be able to share my contribution and energy with The Lake Chapala Projects and the river that will flow forward connecting others in the world to a common good.
For more information, please see The Lake Chapala Projects pages online at:
www.facebook.com/lakechapalaprojects
You may contact Catherine directly if you have any questions or if you just want to reach out to introduce yourself and say hello…Please, say John-Michael sent you!
Catherine Armbrust
The process is beautiful (and important) as is the finished artwork.
This is so cool ! ! !